The Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch (CACA) is an independent Catholic jurisdiction established in 1958 by Herman Adrian Spruit. Through the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch, multiple jurisdictions have sought and acquired episcopal consecration, such as the founding bishops of the

Charismatic Episcopal Church The Charismatic Episcopal Church (CEC), officially the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church (ICCEC), is a Christian denomination established in 1992. The ICCEC is a part of the Convergence Movement. Within North America, mos ...

, and some founding bishops of the

Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches The Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches (CEEC) is a Christian convergence communion established in 1995 within the United States of America. With a large international presence in six autocephalous provinces, and six dioceses within the U ...

although subconditione consecrations extended forth through others such as a continuation of the

American Orthodox Catholic Church The American Orthodox Catholic Church (AOCC), or The Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in North America (THEOCACNA), and sometimes simply the American Orthodox Patriarchate (AOP), was an independent Eastern Orthodox Christian chu ...

and the

Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church , image =Emblema da Igreja Católica Apostólica Brasileira.png , imagewidth = , caption =Emblem of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church , main_classification = Western Christian , orientation =Independent Catholic , polity = Episcopa ...

for both churches.

History

After exploring several theological and mystical practices, Herman Adrian Spruit established the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch. Being consecrated by Charles H. Hampton—a Liberal Catholic priest turned

Old Catholic The terms Old Catholic Church, Old Catholics, Old-Catholic churches or Old Catholic movement designate "any of the groups of Western Christians who believe themselves to maintain in complete loyalty the doctrine and traditions of the Great Chu ...

bishop—whose holy orders descend through Hugh George de Willmott-Newman and the

Catholicate of the West The Catholicate of the West was a Christian denomination established in 1944 and which ceased to exist in 1994 to become the British Orthodox Church. The denomination was also known as the Catholic Apostolic Church, the Catholicate of the West ( ...

, Spruit's jurisdiction became religiously pluralistic. Renting a former Roman Catholic chapel on Sundays, Spruit's jurisdiction has been described as theologically liberal through the ordination of women and LGBT persons to the presbyterate and episcopate. The Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch also practices

open communion Open communion is the practice of some Protestant Churches of allowing members and non-members to receive the Eucharist (also called Holy Communion or the Lord's Supper). Many but not all churches that practice open communion require that the ...

. Until her retirement in 2005, Spruit declared and consecrated his 4th wife, Meri Louise Spruit to succeed as head of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch—establishing the church as a matriarchy. She was then succeeded by Richard Alston Gundrey who has ordained numerous independent sacramental bishops for several jurisdictions other than the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch. At an unknown time, the Roman Catholic hierarchy condemned lay participation in this jurisdiction's sacramental activities.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch Christian organizations established in 1958 Christian denominations established in the 20th century